28 Weeks

 Notice... my belly now officially sticks out farther than my boobs ::sigh::

How far along? 28 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: I weighed myself over the weekend and I'm around 145... there has been a big jump on the scale in the last month and I'm not loving it... at all.
Maternity clothes? Yup, pretty much everything has a stretchy waist now...
Stretch marks? No new ones but I'm starting to see some of my old ones coming back... oh joy. And don't get me started on cellulite. I can't wait to start working out... I hate being fat. :/
Sleep: As long as I have my giant preggie pillow, I'm okay... but without it, life is miserable.
Best moment this week: Eating cookie dough and then feeling Cohen do a dance... this kid will be a cookie monster like his daddy...
Movement: Kicks, punches, flips, somersaults, and barrel rolls on a daily basis, although I still think this little guy is less active than Addison was...
Gender: BOY!!!
Labor Signs: Braxton-Hicks still driving me nuts but with a TON of water (read: 3 liters) and minimal activity, I'm managing to keep them under control
Belly Button in or out? In... but barely...
What I miss: Being able to do stuff :/ I want to work out, or clean house... hell, I'd settle for putting on my socks without struggling.
What I am looking forward to: The end. Seriously. I'm ready now...
Weekly Wisdom: Naps are miraculous. Never say no to naps...
Milestones:We made it to the 3rd trimester and I'm not on bed rest!!

Bedrest.

Why is it that I don't realize how much I want to be at work until my doctor tells me that I may not be able to go? =[ I went in for my 6 month appointment today and confessed that I'm still having contractions 5-6 times an hour most days (but not all day long) and Dr. H said that is right at the brink of 'unsafe'. Right now it's up to me if I want to continue working but I have to find a way to stay completely off my feet while I'm there which is proving to be impossible... I'm up and down grabbing things off the printer, getting things out of the inbox, and running to the bathroom fifty times a day... I already have students in charge of handing out and collecting papers and running errands as much as I can. Derek has put me on bed rest as soon as I get home but in reality I have an hour an a half alone with a toddler every afternoon. As much as I try, this child requires chasing. She doesn't really adhere to the 'sit and hang out' philosophy that everyone is wanting me to follow...

The verdict... I have two weeks until my next appointment and in that two weeks I have to find a way to reduce the number of contractions I'm having or I'm done at work. Financially, that sucks but thankfully we have salary insurance that will cover some of it. Emotionally, it sucks because even though I complain about work most days, I really want to be there and the thought of abandoning my kids already makes me teary eyed. I know they'll do fine without me but they're my responsibility and I want to be there for them as long as I can...

Why can't my uterus just play fair just this one time????

24 Weeks...

How far along? 24 weeks... only three months to go!!
Total weight gain/loss: The scale this morning read 139.5... and I'm hanging on to this side of 140 as long as I can... That puts me up a total of 22 pounds. On a positive note, that is TEN pounds less than I was at this point with Addison! YAY!
Maternity clothes? Yup, pretty much everything has a stretchy waist now...
Stretch marks? No new ones but I'm starting to see some of my old ones coming back... oh joy.
Sleep: I'm always tired but I'm getting to the point where it's tough to get comfortable... it's about time to dig out the preggie pillow.
Best moment this week: Not really from this week but finding out the gender has been the highlight of the month =] and the shopping spree that followed...
Movement: Lots of kicks throughout the day and I can watch my tummy bounce around. He still hasn't kicked Derek's hand yet - my offspring don't like to cooperate in that department.
Gender: BOY!!!
Labor Signs: Braxton-Hicks contractions every day, one trip to L&D so far with instructions to 'take it easy' and 'reduce my workload'... whatever that means.  
Belly Button in or out? In... but shallow.
What I miss: My cute, skinny clothes...
What I am looking forward to: Mom and dad coming to visit in a couple weeks!!
Weekly Wisdom: 100 ounces of water is A LOT... 100 ounces of pee feels like even more. :/
Milestones: Announced our name for baby boy... Cohen Jeffery...

What a year it's been...

Birthday I celebrated this year: 30th
Best book I've read this year: Before I Fall (Lauren Oliver)
Best place I've visited this year: That's a tough one because we didn't get to travel this year - I know it's going to seem ridiculous but my favorite memories from this year are of the weekends we spent in Vancouver and Portland while I was doing my ProCert. We stayed at the Embassy Suites, ate at Claim Jumper, and shopped like crazy. I don't however, miss sitting in class all weekend.

Highlights from 2011

Greatest lesson learned: life can throw you a curve ball at any time - spend time with the people you love and remind them about how you feel about them every chance you get
Hardest thing to overcome: the miscarriage in May
Favorite memory: Finishing my MA degree and realizing that I don't have to go to school again. EVER.
What I loved most about 2011: Watching Addison learn and grow EVER SINGLE DAY... she amazes me

Looking forward to 2012

A new skill I want to learn: I want to create an emergency preparedness plan for my family and have an emergency kit in place in the next year
I want to improve at: Being financially responsible... and be credit card debt free by the end of the year
Biggest goal: Be back in my pre-pregnancy clothes a year from today

20 Week Update

I can't believe how much faster this pregnancy is going - I feel like I JUST did my 16 week update and now I'm back again!

How far along? 20 weeks... halfway there!!
Total weight gain/loss: The scale this morning read 133.3... so, I'm up 16 pounds. I wish I had a scale that could weigh my boobs... because I'm sure 8 pounds or so is resting in my bra.
Maternity clothes? Yeah, some. Bella Band is allowing me to stay in my fat jeans for a bit longer...
Stretch marks? No new ones but I'm starting to see some of my old ones coming back... oh joy.
Sleep: Love it. Can't get enough of it. Being home for Christmas break has allowed me nap time when Addison naps and I very much enjoy that...
Best moment this week: Making hand print Christmas trees with Addison and giggling with her while I was painting her hands.
Movement: Yes, feeling kicks pretty much every day now. Still can't feel them from the outside though...
Gender: Still thinking girl... which pretty much means boy. We did the Chinese gender prediction chart thingy and one said boy while another said girl... the wedding ring test says girl... EVERYONE else in the world is voting boy. We'll see on Tuesday.
Labor Signs: Braxton-Hicks contractions every day 
Belly Button in or out? In... but shallow.
What I miss: This time of year, I miss being able to have a cocktail with friends to celebrate the holidays.
What I am looking forward to: Finding out if baby is a boy or girl on Tuesday!!!
Weekly Wisdom: There is nothing wrong with spending a day off in your jammies and getting nothing accomplished... sometimes that's the hardest thing to do!
Milestones: Half way there!! Yay!! =]

Bedtime

The cutest thing is, she was actually saying 'cheese'!

Kisses!

"But I want to jump on the bed at storytime!!"

Bittersweet...

These past few weeks have been pretty hard on me and I haven't really sat down and talked to anyone to vent it out, so I guess I'm going to ramble on the interwebs and see if it can give me any relief...

I should have been having a baby this week. When I got pregnant in the spring, my due date was right around the 15th of December. But I lost the baby and all of those dreams went out the window. [I want to stop right here to explain that I am SO thankful to be pregnant now and that so far, things are going perfectly with this pregnancy and I do realize that there was some reason that the last baby couldn't have been carried to term... so as painful as it was/is, I have come to terms with the miscarriage.] It just so happens that this pregnancy's timeline leaves milestones on some of the most painful dates - We have our big ultrasound in a week and as excited as I am to find out if baby is a boy or a girl, I can't help but think that I would have been cuddling a newborn baby at that time. I'm due on May 10th, five days after the anniversary of the miscarriage and I really, honestly fear delivering on the 5th of May just because that date holds so much pain for me. I guess I just feel like all of the 'biggies' of this pregnancy have a shadow of the lost baby hovering just out of sight...

I think the other factor that is driving all this anxiety is that we are quickly approaching week 21 in this pregnancy - the week when I made my first [of MANY] hospital visit with contractions. My pregnancy with Addison was textbook in the beginning. After week 21, it went to hell in a handbag - contractions, PUPPPS rash, bed rest... oi, the list goes on and on. I know that each pregnancy is different but I only have one to compare it with and it was so scary at the end and the closer we get to that date, the more I worry. The difference now is that I'm at work all day, so if the contractions start I can't just jump in the car and be at the ER in 15 minutes... I'm already running out of sick leave and I haven't even started my bi-weekly or weekly check-ups yet, and I'm HORRIFIED of going into labor at work... early or on time.

I know that this is all out of my control and I'm positive that is the reason that I'm so stressed about it. I hate not having a plan, not being able to know what is going to happen and when... Being pregnant in the summer sucked for a lot of reasons, but at least I was home, comfortable, and less stressed.... now I'm on my feet, with an audience of 25 at all times, uncomfortable, and... well, I work with teenagers, I'm always stressed. I know there is nothing to do except sit back and let it come as it may... but that doesn't make it any easier.

Date Night with the Hubby

16 Weeks

How far along? 16 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss: 131 pounds on the scale this morning... I'm pretty sure 10 of that is in my bra. My boobs are ridiculous right now. Not even kidding. I'm right on track to gain a ridiculous amount of weight again... rock on.
Maternity clothes? Yeah, some. Bella Band is allowing me to stay in my fat jeans for a bit longer...
Stretch marks? Nada...
Sleep: Love it. Can't get enough of it.
Best moment this week: Had a Home Depot employee ask me when I'm due... which means to some people, I look pregnant, not just fat.
Movement: I've had a few questionable thumps and flutters but nothing I can say for sure was baby and not twitches/gas/my imagination...
Gender: Still thinking girl... which pretty much means boy.
Labor Signs: I started having Braxton Hicks in the last week or two...
Belly Button in or out? In
What I miss: Wine. Lots of wine.
What I am looking forward to: Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow with an excuse to eat as much as I want!
Weekly Wisdom: It goes WAY faster the second time around!
Milestones: Month four... almost half way there and finally starting to look pregnant.

Thankful

Today I'm up early, making cinnamon rolls and prepping the turkey, and all of the things that I'm thankful for keep running through my mind...

Addison... for so many more reasons that I could ever write. She is my sweet, crazy, lovable baby girl and I can't imagine my life with out her in it. I'm thankful for bedtime snuggles, lovies, her silly dances, and every moment that I get to be with her.

Derek for always being by my side, being supportive and understanding even when I don't know what in the world I want or need. For being a far better person than I am and putting up with so much more than any husband should ever have to...

Having a warm, cozy home and food on the table.

A job that I look forward to and that allows us to live life the way we want to.

For my family and myself being relatively healthy. I read about parents who have children with life threatening conditions and I thank my stars that we have been blessed with a healthy baby. I pray every day and night that this next baby will be healthy and strong as well.

Go, Diego, Go... for being toddler crack. No matter how cranky my baby gets... Diego makes her clap and dance.

Having the most amazing friends and family. Ever.